Cannon right to oppose Meacham Road widening

We commend Rolling Meadows 1st Ward Alderman Mike Cannon for his stand against the mindless widening of Meacham Road between Algonquin Road and Emerson Drive.

Alderman Cannon has figured out the city’s immediate direct costs of many tens of thousands of dollars for this one-mile project — plus millions of Illinois taxpayer dollars that the state doesn’t have — are just the beginning.

Rolling Meadows taxpayers would also take over ownership of the road from the state. And that means maintenance, repairs, plowing and police patrols on our dime. Forever.

So far this issue has tasted most sour to the residents who live along the Meacham Road corridor. They oppose the destruction of the natural landscape surrounding the road as well as higher-speed traffic in a residential/school neighborhood.

All Rolling Meadows residents concerned about the fiscal condition of their city (and its ever increasing property taxes) should pay attention to this ongoing saga in the next 60 days — before the city council passes the point of no return and spends so much for so little.

Perhaps other aldermen have forgotten about already-paid-for north/south corridors less than a mile away from Meacham Road. Remind them of four-lane Quentin Road and Route 53 with its frontage roads.

Ask them how they’ve missed what Alderman Cannon sees so clearly! In Cannon’s words, “We don’t have the money to pay for this.”

Ed and Becky Booth

Rolling Meadows